In previous tutorial we made a simple google map in Flash. But how do we get desired coordinates of our location? You probably would like to show location of your company and set it as default map location. Getting coordinates is actually pretty simple.

Go to Google Maps and find the desired location. Now use right click and then select “center map here”. Now paste following code into browser URL:

javascript:void(prompt('',gApplication.getMap().getCenter()));


A pop up window with coordinates will appear. Just copy this coordinates and paste them to flash code:

map.setCenter(new LatLng(37.77114, -122.40159), 18, MapType.SATELLITE_MAP_TYPE);
var m:Marker = new Marker(new LatLng(37.77114, -122.40159),


coordinates for marker define exactly where marker of your location is placed.
And we’re done. Good luck using it in your projects.

The use of google maps in flash AS3 is simple and straightforward.
First go to Google Maps API for Flash and download the zip file. Now extract the files and copy flash component file under lib directory to where you have flash installed (under component dir). Usually path is: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CS4\language\Configuration\Components.
Now open Flash and go to components (window/components). You will see GoogleMapsLibrary under Google Maps API. Drag it to your library on stage.

Next you have to import neccessary classes:

import com.google.maps.*;
import com.google.maps.overlays.*;
import com.google.maps.controls.*;


Next step is definition of variables needed for map creation:

var map:Map = new Map();
map.key =
"ABQIAAAAqHHCopGV2FznT8V5ph6ELxShFIAhFb89IoGWiehHpBPf2E8vHxQ2wvPhcSdLLuc
6JxXYONuPAmqLRA";
map.setSize(new Point(stage.stageWidth, stage.stageHeight));
map.x = 0;
map.y = 0;
map.addEventListener(MapEvent.MAP_READY, onMapReady);


map.key defines the starting location of the map and can be found on google pages.
map.setSize defines the size of the map (in our case it is the size of the stage).
map.x and map.y define the position of map on stage.
Finally we add an event listener that will start a function to draw a map when map is ready.
In the end we add following code:

}


All we have to do now is add map to the stage:

this.addChild(map);


Save and export movie and map with marker on Adobe location should appear.

Most of you that work with CSS and HTML are aware that you have no control over printing backgrounds and images, that is totally up to user to decide and there is no way to force printing. There is however a trick you can use to display what appears to be a background but it really isn’t.

Let’s say you want to make a square 100px wide and 50 px high. Normally you would use following code:


.square{
width:100px;
height:50px;
background-color:#D1DCEB;
}


You will get a square that looks like this:

But if you go to file/print preview on your browser you will notice that by default printing images and backgrounds is disabled. And since many users do not know about this, some of your reports might not look like you would like. So you are forced to design it differently or you can use the following trick. Change the code to:


.square{
width:100px;
height:0px;
border-top:50px solid #D1DCEB;
}

As you will note square looks the same and will now also appear in print preview and printing itself.
Hope you enjoyed reading about this CSS trick.

In this tutorial I will show you how to load several external swf files and then move between them with forward and backward button. First we have to import UILoader. Add following code at the beginning:


import fl.containers.UILoader;


Next we will define an array of external swf files. Add following code:


var externalSWF:Array = ["test.swf",
"test1.swf",
"test2.swf",
"test3.swf"
];

Please note that in my case external swf files are in the same directory as the fla file we are creating. If your files are in subdirectories you have to provide a full path (“dir/test.swf”). Next we will define a variable that will tell which swf is current one.


var i:int = 0;


Value is set to 0 as that is our first swf file. Now we will define UIloader, sprite that will hold our swf’s and a movieclip that will hold current swf file that is on the stage.


var thisUILoader:UILoader = new UILoader();
thisUILoader.addEventListener(Event.INIT, loadFinish);
var theLoaderContext:LoaderContext;

var slideshow:Sprite = new Sprite();
var MC:MovieClip = new MovieClip();


After load is finished we will call function loadFinish. But first we have to put our sprite and movieclip to the stage.


addChild(slideshow);
slideshow.addChild(thisMC);


Now we can add function loadFinish.


function loadFinish(e:Event):void {
MC = MovieClip(thisUILoader.content);
thisUILoader.unload();
slideshow.addChild(thisMC);
setChildIndex(slideshow, 0);
backward.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, backwardF);
forward.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, forwardF);
}

First we load content of swf file then we add it to slideshow and set index to 0. Now create two simple movieclips named backward and forward. Don’t forget to set instance names of these movieclips to backward and forward. We will use these buttons to move between swf files.

Now we need to add functions for moving forward and backward and we have to add another variable that will count swf files. Add following code to the start of the file where variables are.


var counter:int = 0;


Now add functions for forward and backward.


function backwardF(e:MouseEvent){
i--;
if (i < 0)
i = 5;
nextSWF();
counter++;
}
function forwardF(e:MouseEvent){
if (i == 5)
i = -1;
i++;
nextSWF();
counter++;
}


Now we only have to add function nextSWF.


function nextClip():void {
theLoaderContext = new LoaderContext();
theLoaderContext.applicationDomain = new ApplicationDomain();
thisUILoader.load( new URLRequest(clips[i]),theLoaderContext);
}


This function loads the current swf file. Starting value of i is 0 (first swf in array).
Now add following code at the end to start loading.


nextClip();


And we are finished. You can now load as many swf files as you wish and move between them.
Thank you for reading

Ever wanted to move your movie clip in a way that it would look like it is moving really fast? In this tutorial I will show you how to add a simple blur filter to enhance movement effect. First add some movie clip to the stage. I simply made a circle, converted it to movie clip and named it circle.

Now to coding part.
First import all needed libraries:

import fl.transitions.Tween;
import fl.transitions.easing.*;
import fl.transitions.TweenEvent;


Now we need to define a tween to which we can add an event listener. Add following line:

var OurTween:Tween;

Now it is time to add our blurry movement function:

function blurEffect(e:MouseEvent):void{OurTween = new Tween(circle, "x", Strong.easeInOut, circle.x, circle.x + 400, 0.75, true);
OurTween.addEventListener(TweenEvent.MOTION_CHANGE, blurOn);
OurTween.addEventListener(TweenEvent.MOTION_FINISH, blurOff);

We assign movement along X axis to our tween variable. Now we add two event listeners. First will start blur effect on motion change and second will stop blur effect after movement is finished. BlurOn defines a blur filter which will apply a blur filter along x axis (because movement is along x axis). If you would like to move movie clip along y axis, you would apply blur to y. BlurOff function simply remove all filters from movie clip. In a preview shown below I also used a simple movie clip that acts as a button:


ourButton.buttonMode = true;
ourButton.useHandCursor = true;
ourButton.mouseChildren = false;
ourButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, blurEffect);

Note that you also have to put this button on stage (just make a simple rectangle, convert it to movie clip and name it ourButton). And we are done. Thank your for reading this tutorial.